Okorocha presents N190bn budget estimate for 2018

The governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, on Wednesday in Owerri, presented a N190. 92 billion budget estimate for the 2018 fiscal year, to the State House of Assembly.

The 2018 budget which was higher than that of 2017 by N59 78 billion was tagged “Budget of Consolidation and Continuity III.”

A breakdown of the estimate showed that N132.98 billion (69.70%) was for capital expenditure while N57.943 billion (30.30%) was for the recurrent expenditure.

The breakdown showed that the Ministry of Works and Transport received the highest allocation of N39.811 billion, followed by the Ministry of Education with N13.5 billion.

Agriculture and Environment received N7.62 billion while the least allocation of N440.24 million was for Ministry of Culture

Mr Okorocha said the 2018 budget would consolidate the developmental efforts of his administration and ensure prudence and efficiency in its programmes.

He said that his administration intended to use the limited resources at its disposal to achieve maximum impact through collaboration and integration of programmes and projects at all levels.

The governor said all relevant agencies of government would be strengthened to take up their constitutional responsibilities and ensure effective monitoring of programmes and projects at all times.

He added that his administration would consolidate on the gains already made in areas such as security and safety of every citizen and free education, and ensure completion of all ongoing projects.

Earlier, the Speaker of the House, Iheanacho Ihim (APC, Okigwe), said the legislature would continue to work in collaboration with the executive for the good of the state and her people.

Mr Ihim promised a thorough scrutiny of the budget, adding that the house would effectively oversight projects at their implementation stages.

He also urged the governor to scale up performance management through institutionalising evaluation and monitoring in the civil service.

“We will erase the notion that implementation is the graveyard of public policies in Nigeria.

“We will not only ensure a thorough scrutiny of the 2018 budget; we will ensure that at the implementation stage the over sighting of the state of work by the house is done to its end,” he said.

NAN